Cable ladder fire escape

ABSTRACT

A portable housing mounted on wheels carries a shaft, upon which a cable ladder is wound. The housing is moved to a window or other opening, and the shaft is secured in place by anchor bars detachably connected to anchors mounted in the floor, and brace bars that bear against the wall containing the window. The cable ladder is then unrolled to provide an escape route, the thus braced shaft being fixed in position and firmly anchoring the cable ladder.

United States Patent [1 1 Dunston Aug. 19, 1975 CABLE LADDER FIRE ESCAPE [76] Inventor: Frank Dunston, 729 Irving St. N.W.,

Washington, DC. 20010 [22] Fi1ed: Mar. 18, 1974 121 Appl. No.: 452,134

[52] US. Cl 182/73; 182/198 [51] Int. C13. A62B 1/06 [58] Field of Search 182/73, 74, 75, 198

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 95,321 9/1869 Carrigan 182/73 267,019 11/1882 Roberts et a1. 182/74 993,368 5/1911 Hartmann .1 182/74 1,350,708 8/1920 Davis....- 182/73 3/1967 Green .1 182/198 9/1969 Remele 187/73 Primary Examiner-Reinaldo P. Machado Attorney, Agent, or FirmBacon & Thomas [5 7 ABSTRACT A portable housing mounted on wheels carries a shaft, upon which a cable ladder is wound. The housing is moved to a window or other opening, and the shaft is secured in place by anchor bars detachably connected to anchors mounted in the floor, and brace bars that bear against the wall containing the window. The cable ladder is then unrolled to provide an escape route, the thus braced shaft being fixed in position and firmly anchoring the cable ladder.

6 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures CABLE LADDER. FIRE ESCAPE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention related generally to devices enabling a person to escape from a room located above the first floor of a building, and more particularly to an improved cable ladder mechanism that is easily moved into position and firmly braced during operation.

2. Description of the Prior Art The problem of escape from an upper floor in a building in case of a fire has long been considered. and many different devices for this purpose have been pro posed. Where the building is a large one, permanently installed fire escapes built of steel are common. However, these are impractical for many smaller buildings, and additionally are often used by burglars to unlawfully enter the structure.

For most installations, what is desired is an escape device or mechanism that is not in place at all times, but which can be readily installed when needed. Two different devices of this type are those shown in US. Pat. Nos. 866,256 and 200,370, which are typical of past approaches to the problem. In both patents a removable ladder is provided for escape from a window. However, the anchoring mechanism in the latter patent is permanently mounted in the room, and acts on the box rather than more directly on the ladder and its mounting assembly. In the first patent, the ladder is carried on a mounting bar that must be properly secured to the window frame, if the device is to be safe.

In portable escape devices it is very important that the device be capable of very quick, sure installation, since in the panic of a fire time is of the essence, and complicated mounting arrangements are a danger. Further it is obviously important that when installed the escape device be strong and safe in operation, less it be come a hazard in itself. While prior portable escape devices have approached these two goals, none have satisfactorily fulfilled them. Thus, there is a need for a portable escape device that can be easily and rapidly installed, and which is completely secure in operation. The present invention satisfies that need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The fire escape device of the invention utilizes a cable ladder as the escape mechanism, the ladder of the invention being fitted with spaced brackets that hold it from a wall so that a person can easily obtain a foot hold on the ladder steps. The cable ladder is initially wrapped around a shaft, from which it is dispensed when needed. The shaft of the invention is mounted in a housing, the latter having wheels thereon so that the device can be easily moved into position before a window or other opening when needed.

The need in a portable escape device of this type is to provide a means for safety and quickly mounting the cable ladder, when needed. In the present invention this is done by concentrating the mounting mechanism on the shaft carrying the ladder, rather than on the housing. Two easily mounted anchor bars are fitted at one end to the shaft, and the other ends thereof are engaged with anchors that have previously been permanently mounted in the floor in the proper position behind the window or other opening. Two brace bars are engaged at one end with the housing but in line with the shaft, and their free ends are then engaged with the wall. The result is that the shaft carrying the cable ladder is fixed in a secure position, quickly and in such a way that use of the cable ladder once such has been lowered through the window or opening will be perfectly safe.

With the cable ladder mounted in this way, which can be easily and accurately accomplished, the person required to escape can be assured that the cable ladder itself is completely secure and safe to use. The device can be stored out of the way, and is easily moved to a point of installation when needed. The shaft is fitted with a winding crank to retract the extended cable ladder, and idle gears are provided that tend to govern the speed of unwinding so that the cable ladder can be controlled.

It is an object of the invention to provide a fire escape device incorporating a cable ladder, the device being portable and so designed that the cable ladder can be quickly and securely mounted in position.

Another object is to provide a fire escape device incorporating a cable ladder, the ladder being normally wrapped about a mounting shaft, and the device including means for securely mounting the shaft in a dispensing position.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the present invention will become readily'apparent from the following Description of the Preffered Embodiments, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the fire escape device of the invention, in its portable mode;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the device of FIG. 1, as seen from the left;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the device of FIG. 1, as viewed from the right;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the device of the invention in its installed, operating position, with the mounting shaft firmly secured in position by the anchor rods and the brace rods;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4, showing the locking pin arrangement;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 4, and showing in particular the arrangement of the anchor bars and the brace bars;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on the line 77 of FIG. 6, and showing one of the permanently mounted floor anchors in plan view;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of a portion of the emergency ladder, showing the spacing brackets thereon; and

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 99 of FIG. 8.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, the floor of a building is indicated generally at 2 and the wall thereof at 4, the latter having a window 6 mounted therein. Disposed to rest on the floor 2 on a plurality of caster wheels 8 is the escape device 10 of the invention, such being freely moveable from a storage location to a position of use adjacent the window 6.

The escape device of the invention includes a base 12 to which the caster wheels 8 are mounted, and from the opposite ends of which mounting plates 14 and 16 extend upwardly. The front mounting plate 14 has a central opening 18 therein, about which an external reinforcement plate 20 is welded, a suitable bearing 22 being mounted on the inner surface of the plate 14 about the opening 18. The rear mounting plate 16 has a vertical notch 24 therein, a shield 26 being mounted on the interior of the plate 16 and having an aligned notch therein. Mounted on the inner surface of the rear plate 16 is an idler gear 28, carried by a mounting shaft 30.

Carried by the mounting plates 14 and I6 is the mounting shaft 32 of the invention, one end 34 of which is received through the bearing 22. The other end 36 of the shaft 32 is lowerable into the notch 24, and carries a gear 38 thereon that is engageable with the idler gear 28 when the shaft 32 is fully seated. In order to lock the shaft 32 against rotation, a diametric bore 40 passes through the gear 38 and said shaft and is in alignment with a deep radial bore 42 in the idler gear 28, the aligned bores receiving a removeable locking pin 44. The pin 44 is connected by a chain 46 to the mounting plate 16, so it cannot become lostv Outwardly of the mounting plate 16 the end 36 of shaft 32 has a ratchet gear 48 mounted thereon, and pivoted to a reinforcement plate 50 welded to the outer surface of the plate 16 is one end of a ratchet pawl 52. The pawl 52 has the general shape of an inverted U, and the free end thereof is received in a guard 54 also welded to the reinforcement plate 50. The pawl 52 normally rests in engagement with the ratchet gear 48, thus preventing rotation of the shaft 32 in an unwinding direction. When release of the shaft is desired, the free end of the pawl 52 is merely lifted clear of the guard 54.

Secured to the mounting shaft 32 by clamps 56 are the two side cables 58 of a cable ladder 60, the side cables 58 being interconnected by metal rod steps 62 each having T-shaped outer ends. The T-shaped outer ends of the rod steps 62 are welded to the metal side cables 58, and each rod 62 has a pair of spacer brackets 66 secured thereto by bolts 68. Each bracket 66 includes an arcuate section 70 that is shaped to the cylindrical surface of the rod step 62, and a spacer section 74 that extends downwardly and rearwardly at about a 45 angle. The spacer sections 74 are engageable with the exterior of the wall 4 as shown in FIG. 6, to hold the rod steps 62 away from the wall so that they can be easily engaged with the foot.

In use, the device 10 is moved over to the window 6, is braced in position, and then the pin 44 is pulled and the pawl 52 released. The cable ladder 60 is then lowered through the window 6, the engaged gears 28 and 38 serving generally as a governor to limit the speed of lowering so that whiplash and tangling is avoided. A crank 76 is connectible to the end 36 of the shaft 32, to effect rewinding of the ladder 60.

In order for proper functioning of the invention, the support shaft 32 should be parallel to the wall 4 and spaced the correct distance therefrom. In addition, the support shaft 32 should be braced in position, to provide for the security and safety of an individual using the escape ladder 60. In order to achieve both of these ends, two anchor bars 80 and two brace bars 82 are provided.

Each anchor bar includes an elongated body having a hook 84 on its lower end, and an enlarged, partially hexagonal head 86 on its other end. The shaft 32 carries a pair of spaced bearing units 88 each having a hexagonal external shape and, mounted on opposite sides of reel end plates 89 that serve to confine the wrapped cable ladder 60. The anchor bar heads are engageable over the bearing units 88 (FIG. 6), the bearing units 88 ensuring freedom of rotation for the operating shaft 32.

The hooks 84 on the lower ends of the anchor rods 80 are engageable with anchor rings 90 mounted within brackets 92 secured in a countersunk manner to the floor 2, so that when the anchor rings 90 are in a lowered position the floor 2 is flush. It is thus seen that the anchor rods 80 serve to secure the supporting shaft 32 in position, and that in addition they help ensure that the device 10 is properly placed relative to the window 6.

In order to further secure the rotatable shaft 32, an upwardly angled socket is mounted on each of the mounting plates 14 and 16 on a radius of the shaft 32, and on the side of the shaft 32 which will face the window wall 4. One end of each brace bar 82 is seated in one of the sockets 100, the other end thereof carrying a threadably mounted adjustable head 102 terminating in a pivoted foot 104 that is engageable with the wall 4. With both the anchor rods 80 and the brace rods 82 installed, it is evident that the main shaft 32 is firmly anchored in place, while at the same time being freely rotatable. Thus, proper alignment of the cable ladder 60 is assured, and equally important the ladder 60 is made safe so that it can be used without qualm by any person.

It should be evident that the device 10 can be easily stored where desired, and moved into position when needed. To facilitate this, a tongue is secured to the reinforcement plate 20 by a pivoted mount. To protect the reeled cable ladder 60 when not in use, a sheet metal cover 112 is fitted over the mounting plates 14 and 16, and is secured in place by suitable latches (not shown), the anchor rods 80 and the crank 76 being mounted in brackets 114 on the cover 112 for easy access when needed. A storage compartment 116 is provided in the base 12 for the brace rods 82.

In summary, then, the present invention provides an escape mechanism with a main supporting shaft 32 that is in effect locked in position by the anchor rods 80 and the brace rods 82, so that it cannot move and can support a large weight. At the same time, the device is easily portable, and can be quickly set up when needed. It is evident that the objects hereinabove set forth are satisfied by the invention, and it is to be understood that many variations thereof are possible.

I claim:

1. A-portable fire escape device for use in conjunction with an opening provided in the wall of a structure, said structure including a floor and said floor having anchor hook means mounted therein spaced from and in alignment with said opening, said device comprising: base means movable on said floor into a position before said opening; a main shaft rotatably mounted generally horizontally on said base means; cable ladder means connected with said main shaft, and wrappable therearound for storage; anchor bar means engageable at one end with said main shaft and at the other end with said anchor hook means, and arranged to extend generally radially from the axis of said main shaft; and bearing means positioned between said main shaft and the said one end of said anchor bar means engageable with said main shaft, whereby said main shaft is rotatable relative to said one end of said anchor bar means.

2-. A portable fire escape device as recited in claim 1, including additionally: brace rod means attachable at one end thereof with said housing means, the other end of said brace rod means being engageable with said wall of said structure to further brace said main shaft. said brace rod means being arranged to extend generally radially from the axis of said main shaft.

3. A portable fire escape device as recited in claim 2, wherein said anchor bar means comprises a pair of anchor bars, one disposed near each end of said main shaft, said anchor hook means including a pair of hooks, one for each anchor bar.

4. A portable fire escape device as recited in claim 3, wherein said base means has ratchet means mounted thereon and engageable with said main shaft to prevent rotation of said main shaft.

5. A portable fire escape device as recited in claim 1, wherein said base means has wheels thereon to facilitate the movability thereof on said floor.

6. A portable fire escape device for use in conjunction with an opening provided in the wall of a structure,

said structure including a floor and said floor having a pair of anchor hook means mounted flush therein and spaced from and in alignment with said opening, said device comprising: base means movable on said floor into a position before said opening, and including a pair of upstanding spaced mounting plates; a main shaft rotatably mounted to extend between said mounting plates, and having a pair of spaced reel end plates se cured thereto, and bearing means mounted outside of each reel end plate on said main shaft; a cable ladder secured at one end thereof to said main shaft between said reel end plates, and including a pair of side cables interconnected by step rods, said cable ladder being wrappable about said main shaft; a pair of anchor rods, one end of each anchor rod being engageable with one of said anchor hook means, and the other end thereof being engageable with said bearing means mounted on said main shaft, said anchor rods being arranged to extend generally radially from the axis of said main shaft; socket means mounted on said mounting plates; and brace rods having one end thereof seated in said socket means, and the other end thereof engaged with the wall of said structure, said brace rods being adjustable in length and being arranged to extend generally radially from the axis of said main shaft. 

1. A portable fire escape device for use in conjunction with an opening provided in the wall of a structure, said structure including a floor and said floor having anchor hook means mounted therein spaced from and in alignment with said opening, said device comprising: base means movable on said floor into a position before said opening; a main shaft rotatably mounted generally horizontally on said base means; cable ladder means connected with said main shaft, and wrappable therearound for storage; anchor bar means engageable at one end with said main shaft and at the other end with said anchor hook means, and arranged to extend generally radially from the axis of said main shaft; and bearing means positioned between said main shaft and the said one end of said anchor bar means engageable with said main shaft, whereby said main shaft is rotatable relative to said one end of said anchor bar means.
 2. A portable fire escape device as recited in claim 1, including additionally: brace rod means attachable at one end thereof with said housing means, the other end of said brace rod means being engageable with said wall of said structure to further brace said main shaft, said brace rod means being arranged to extend generally radially from the axis of said main shaft.
 3. A portable fire escape device as recited in claim 2, wherein said anchor bar means comprises a pair of anchor bars, one disposed near each end of said main shaft, said anchor hook means including a pair of hooks, one for each anchor bar.
 4. A portable fire escape device as recited in claim 3, wherein said base means has ratchet means mounted thereon and engageable with said main shaft to prevent rotation of said main shaft.
 5. A portable fire escape device as recited in claim 1, wherein said base means has wheels thereon to facilitate the movability thereof on said floor.
 6. A portable fire escape device for use in conjunction with an opening provided in the wall of a structure, said structure including a floor and said floor having a pair of anchor hook means mounted flush therein and spaced from and in alignment with said opening, said device comprising: base means movable on said floor into a position before said opening, and including a pair of upstanding spaced mounting plates; a main shaft rotatably mounted to extend between said mounting plates, and having a pair of spaced reel end plates secured thereto, and bearing means mounted outside of each reel end plate on said main shaft; a cable ladder secured at one end thereof to said main shaft between said reel end plates, and including a pair of side cables interconnected by step rods, said cable ladder being wrappable about said main shaft; a pair of anchor rods, one end of each anchor rod being engageable with one of said anchor hook means, and the other end thereof being engageable with said bearing means mounted on said main shaft, said anchor rods being arranged to extend generally radially from the axis of said main shaft; socket means mounted on said mounting plates; and brace rods having one end thereof seated in said socket means, and the other end thereof engaged with the wall of said structure, said brace rods being adjustable in length and being arranged to extend generally radially from the axis of said main shaft. 